Sports retailer nets training result

An ongoing training programme at a Welsh sports retailer is helping the
company through a major expansion programme by ensuring staff turnover is kept
to a minimum.

Gilesports, the Merthyr Tydfil-based sports chain, has managed to retain the
majority of its home-grown talent – essential to store openings planned for the
next few years.

A series of NVQ-based courses have proved popular, with more than 180 staff
applying for them, up from just 50 two years ago.

Gilesports, which operates 83 shops with around 900 staff, started
developing the training strategy in 2001 and now operates a tailored course
that leads to recognised NVQ qualifications.

Linda Lavender, HR manager at the firm, said the training was attractive to
staff because it enabled them to gain qualifications while in the workplace.

"The programme has raised training’s profile and more people are
actually asking for training. This is highly motivational and people can
understand the contribution they can make and the progression available to
them," she said.

"What staff get is training that’s specific to what Gilesports needs,
not what a generic NVQ course says they should have."